


Red hood, white wolf

by Niibeth



Category: Dredd (2012), Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Dark Fairy Tale Elements, M/M, Minor Character Death, No Smut, Red Riding Hood Elements, Werewolves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-05
Updated: 2017-07-05
Packaged: 2018-11-28 04:55:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11410650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Niibeth/pseuds/Niibeth
Summary: Once upon a time there was a land, where, if times got rough and you had too much children, you would tell the weakest one of them to visit the "grandmother" far, far away in the woods.





	Red hood, white wolf

**Author's Note:**

> English is my second language, so feel free to point at the grammar errors.
> 
> Welcome to my tumblr account - [Niibeth](niibeth.tumblr.com)
> 
> Illustration by me

Once upon a time a poor woman lived on the edge of the village with her only son. They made and sold bast shoes and never visited the church. During the cold times - and most of the times in our land are cold - an open stove filled her little house with smoke, so her son grew sick and starblind.

When he complained, mother told him:  
\- There is not much to see.  
And he stopped complaining.

One lean spring the woman died. Son buried her in the garden and lived alone until there was no more flour or salt. Then he gathered things he could sell and went to the village. But the neighbors were as poor, as him or maybe cold-hearted, so he went from the door to the door and no one traded with him.

Finally, he knocked on the door to the biggest house, where a priest lived. A maid opened the door and straight told him to go away. She almost slammed the door to his face, when the priest, who was at home, saw a glimpse of boy’s red hair.  
\- What do you need here? – he shouted angrily.  
Boy told the priest that his mother died and he is trading the things for the food. Suddenly, the man welcomed him with a more restrained voice and led the guest to a reading room. In a warm, well lit room, he sat his guest on a chair upholstered in velvet, told the angry maid to bring coffee and sponge cakes and asked the boy about his life. A strange anger still boiled in his voice, but he didn’t let it rise, so the boy thought, that maybe his first impression was wrong.

When the short story was over, the priest said:  
\- My dear boy! How I regret, that you never came before. You don’t need to suffer cold and hunger and shall not sell your hand-downs. Just throw them away right now. Don’t you know, that you are a son of a wealthy man, and though he is long dead, his mother – your grandmother – lives just beyond the woods and misses you terribly? If you go to her today, this evening you will spend in care and comfort and you will not have to work a day in your life! Let me show you the way.

The priest walked to the window and explained the road to a grandmother’s house. Just go straight through the woods, leaving the sun behind you, and when the birches change to pines and pines change to firs, you will see a clearing and a beautiful house over the playful river.  
\- But it is so cold today, - said the boy.  
\- Oh, don’t worry, - said the priest and called the maid again. Soon she brought a red woolen coat with a hood, warm and soft to the touch. The boy thanked a priest profoundly and decided not to waste a minute.

Just several houses down the road an angry maid caught up with him and gave him a basket.  
\- There are the meat pies and a bottle of wine. Take them with you, – she said.  
\- Thanks, but I don’t need food, I will soon see my grandmother.  
\- I fear, you will, - said the maid sadly, - But still, please, take it and try to forgive me.

He shrugged and turned to enter the birch wood. The sun shone brightly and everything around – white birches, last patches of snow - shined and smiled at him. He thought about his grandmother. How does she look? Does she like to sing? Is she healthy or is she hunched and walks with a cane? Does she cook or sew, or does she have servants who do everything for her? Will she like him?

He went and he went, and when the sun started sliding down the sky, he saw the first pines. Soon, the woods became dark, magnificent and cold. The sun still warmed his neck, and there was almost no snow, only soft pine needles, that hushed every sound. He remembered his mother, became sad and tried to pray for her.

The sun was touching the ground, when he saw the first firs. For his eyes, the evergreens were pitch black. The earth here was uneven, trees grew close and he had to dodge between them. The basket became heavy, and he couldn’t feel his feet in his old shoes and frayed socks. He walked still, but slow, afraid. There was no clearing ahead. What if he just walked by in the darkness? What if he had since long turned the wrong way? Or what if he misunderstood the good priest from the very beginning? He cannot return home now, and he cannot spend a night in the wood – it is too cold. And then he stumbled on a fallen tree trunk and fell.

Luckily, he has not hurt himself, but it was a good hint to sit and think. And while he sat, he ate one of the pies, that the maid gave him. He shivered and peered into the darkness, trying to decide what to do. That’s when he heard a snarl and saw a white silhouette between the black trees. The shape growled and neared and turned into a big white dog – or so he thought.

Dog was good news. Where are dogs, there are people.  
\- Good boy, good boy, come here – he called, - Here, have some.  
And he offered a meat pie to the dog. It stopped growling, then came closer and sniffed the pie. The boy broke the pie in halves, ate one and gave the dog another. It took the offering and sat before him. Boy stroked its head. The dog was so big, with thick and warm fur. He stroked it and then sat on the earth to hug it and told it all the good words he knew. He asked the dog, if it wants to be his friend, and the dog gently took his hand in its jaws, and that was probably a “Yes”. So, he gave it a name – Friend and pet it.

\- What the big ears you have, what the big teeth you have, good Friend, oh, look at those eyes… Beautiful. Do you know the way to the house? Yes, you are smart, aren’t you? Show me the way!  
The dog rose and went forward, first quickly and then slowly, giving him a chance to touch it’s head for a guidance. Indeed, soon they left the dark firs, crossed the clearing and reached a house. By the sound of it, a river was nearby.

He knocked, but nobody answered, so he pushed the door and entered – the house was empty. Still, there were burning coals in the fireplace, so he carefully reached a source of light, fed the fire with several logs and looked around.

The house was not big at all. It was just a cabin, but it was better and higher then his mother’s. The furniture was new and sturdy, small windows had actual glass in them, and the floor and a big bed were covered with pelts. There were almost no decorations. And a pile of man’s clothes on the floor, giant boots by the door and a big felling axe.  
\- What do you think, Friend, - he asked the dog – Can my granny be a lumberjack?  
The dog snorted, almost like a human.

The boy shared the last pies with Friend, drunk some water from a water bucket and curled in the big chair by the fireplace.

Matt waited for the boy to fall asleep. Very soon his breath became even. Then Matt went to the pile of clothes, shivered and turned into his human form. He quickly found his pants and put them on. Then he returned to the fireplace and took a new look at the strange human, who decided to feed and befriend the giant wolf instead of running or fighting, like normal people did. The boy was pale and thin, with matted red hair and deep blue circles under the inflamed eyes. He shivered in his sleep a little, so Matt took a biggest pelt from his bed and carefully covered his guest. He had no idea what to do with the intruder. And why the hell he thought that his grandmother can live here?  
\- If there was any grandmother, I have probably since long eaten her, - he mumbled. But he couldn’t get honestly angry at the human. He other-part fondly remembered the kind words and caresses and nudged him – keep him!

He shaked his head, chasing away confusing thoughts, hopped on his bed, and tossed and turned enthusiastically, until he was comfortable in the mound of furs and blankets, and then he easily fell asleep.


End file.
